Me and My Instincts
by Feral-Eyes
Summary: (This story is based on Mutant X, it doesn't have Mutant X characters.) Sydney thinks she's the only one that's 'different', until she meets Angel. Things go downhill from there. (Story from Sydney's POV.) Complete
1. Chapter 1

(I own these characters. They are my own creation and are not to be used without my permission.)  
  
I am Sydney. I'm the new girl, the one who's lost, the one who doesn't know anything, the one who's different. Mom said everything will get better, that someone else will come and they'll be the new kid. I don't believe her. Nobody at this school will be like me, will be "different", that's why we moved here in the first place.  
My first day of 11th grade, I met my new best friend, Natalie. We share every class together, which is lucky, cause they try to work it out so that we're with different people in every class. They must have over- looked us.  
As far as I know, she's normal. Short blond hair and deep brown eyes along with the perfect face complete her features. Besides me, with my long brown hair and emerald green eyes, she looks like an angel, especially to her boyfriend, Zack.  
As for me and my love life, I'm single, which is probably a good thing, considering my "condition".  
You see, when I was still in the womb, the doctors told my mother there was something wrong with me. They never said what it was, just that they could fix. Of course, my mother didn't care what they did, as long as I was okay, so she agreed. But, what she didn't know was I was perfectly healthy. They had been wanting to try some new experiment out and figured I was the perfect "lab rat". So, they tinkered with my genetic code, giving me animal DNA from a feline. It didn't hurt or anything, just gave me cat- like abilities, which was kind of cool, till my secret got out. That's why we had to move, my mom and me, because of who I am.  
"Syd?" Nat asked, tapping me on the shoulder, "You okay?"  
"Yeah, I'm fine, just thinking," I replied, giving my best friend a "you-know-what-I-mean" look.  
We were outside in the schoolyard, eating lunch, wishing the day were over. It was a hot blistering day in June, which was not uncommon, just unnatural, since yesterday had felt like the dead of winter.  
"So, you going to that dance-party thing tonight at Jimmy's house?"  
"I don't know. Don't you think it'll be boring?" I said.  
Before Natalie could answer, Zack came up behind her. He put his arms around her protectively, making her giggle.  
"Who's your friend?" I asked him, before the two lovebirds could get at it again, like this morning.  
A dark-haired boy with the most beautiful blue eyes I had ever seen had followed Zack.  
"This is Angel. He's new," Zack said, trying to hold Nat back from kissing him so he could the words out.  
"Hi," Natalie told him, before turning all her attention to her boyfriend.  
I rolled my eyes. "Just ignore them and maybe they'll go away," I said laughing. I held out my hand. "I'm Sydney."  
He grabbed my hand and shook it, letting his gaze fall down my back and back up to my eyes. His hand lingered on mine before finally dropping into his lap.  
I had gasped inwardly when he had grabbed my hand. My body heat had risen at his touch, and that could mean one of two things, if not both. Either my animal side was interested in him, or he was like me, half animal, a Feral, as my kind was called. I had a feeling that it would be the former rather than the latter.  
"You want to go for a walk?" I asked him, searching his face for the answer. His eyes gave away everything. He wanted me, badly.  
He nodded, and we started walking. I wondered how long it would take before he made his move.  
"So, I heard there was a party tonight," he said, bringing up that subject again, "You going?"  
"I don't know. Why? Are you?"  
He shrugged. "I wouldn't know anybody there."  
He had used the oldest excuse in the book for asking a girl out. And the miraculous thing was, I fell for it.  
"I'll go," I told him, "But only if you promise to go too and meet me there."  
He raised his eyebrows at me, obviously surprised by my offer. He held out his hand, "Deal." We shook on it, just as the bell rang.  
"I got to get to class." I bounded off in the direction of the school buildings.  
  
Nat called me after school, wanting to talk about what had happened between Angel and me.  
"Nothing happened," I said again for the twentieth time.  
"Sure. I believe you, NOT!" she said into the phone. "You do know that Zack brought him there on purpose, just so he could meet you. He's so your type."  
"Since when is tall, dark, and handsome my type?"  
"Since I say it is. Come on, don't give me that, even Zack and me felt the sparks fly," she said. She sounded so sure of herself that I knew not to disagree. "So, does that mean I'll see you at the party?"  
"Yep. He persuaded me to go, though I don't have any idea what to wear."  
"Wear that animal top you got for your birthday with those jeans. He'll love it."  
"How do you know?" I said.  
"Trust me."  
"All right, fine." I heard the door open downstairs and someone walk in, heels clicking on the tile floor. "I got to go. Mom's home. See you at the party."  
"Bye girlfriend," Nat said, and then hung up.  
I heard the click of the disconnection and put my phone down on the dresser in my room. There was a knock on the door.  
"Come in," I said, as my mother entered.  
"Have a good day at school?"  
"Yes."  
"You going to Jimmy's party tonight?"  
"Yep. How did you know about that?"  
"I have my ways," she answered, a glint in her brown eyes.  
"Uh huh, sure you do."  
"You better get ready, it starts in an hour," she told me, closing the door behind her as she left the room. I rolled my eyes and headed for the shower.  
  
(Before I post the rest of this story, I wanna know what you think. So r&r and tell me!) 


	2. Chapter 2

An hour and a half later, I was standing in front of Jimmy's house, watching the lights blink on and off, not wanting to go in. "Don't tell me you're chickening out on me now?" said a voice behind me. I turned around, knowing whom it was. His scent was so strong it made me weak in the knees. I breathed it in, memorizing it. I knew it wasn't just my Feral side that was falling for him. It was the whole of me. I watched as he took me in. I was glad when I heard him breathe a sigh of contentment. "I wasn't chickening out," I said, challenging him, "I was waiting for you." Angel searched my eyes, not believing a word I had just said. "Let's go in," he said, satisfied that he had been right. It was an interesting night, to say the least. We talked to a lot of people and had a few cokes, not really anything. Though, whenever other guys looked at me, checking me out, he had put his hand on my back possessively, telling them to back off with his gaze. That surprised me, since usually the first contact guys make with a girl they like is with the "holding hands theme". That told him he was different, that maybe it could actually work out between us. He brought me home after it was over, though he didn't get out of his car. He wanted to take it slow, cause he didn't push for a kiss, or anything. He just dropped me off, promising to see me at school the next day. Later that night, I lay in my bed, thinking about him. How can he be so different? I wondered. Any other boy would've pushed, but not him. I don't understand anything anymore. After that thought, I drifted off to sleep, my dreams promising me visions of Angel.  
  
The next day at school was...there's no other way to put this...boring. Angel wasn't there. He had used the excuse of being sick to get out of going. Or maybe he just wants to lure me to his house I thought. I had already decided to go over there after school. "Hey Sydney."  
I turned around to see Luke, the flirt, walking over to me. "Hey."  
"So where's that new guy that was with at the party last night?" he asked, taunting me.  
"He's...somewhere," I said, avoiding his gaze. He moved closer to me. I felt his arm slip around me, and his hand started caressing my stomach. Immediately my body rejected him, wanting his hands off of me. I wriggled away from his grip.  
"Oh come on, just one kiss," he said, his eyes begging me.  
Without meaning to, I let my eyes glow their bright yellow color. Luke backed away.  
"What are you?" he asked.  
My powers were even stronger than usual because I was in full Feral mode, and I could sell his fear, along with other things. My eyes returned too normal and I ran.  
I didn't stop until I reached a house, Angel's house. He was home; I could smell him. I didn't know why my feet had led me here, but I got up enough nerve to knock.  
The door opened instantly, like he had been waiting for me. I collapsed into his arms. He reacted instinctively, realizing who I was. I let it all out, all my stress over the years, through my tears. He held me, letting me cry, as I buried my face in his well-toned chest.  
After I had calmed down considerably, he led me over to the sofa and wiped my tear-streaked face with his hand.  
"What's wrong?" he asked, a worried look on his face.  
I couldn't tell him "nothing"; he wouldn't buy for a second. "I just, I can't be myself.  
"What do you mean?" he asked. The look in his eyes made me spill everything. The only one that had known before was Mom, and she usually acted like I was normal.  
When I was done, I twisted around in his arms to see if he believed me. "Well?"  
"Give me a minute, this is a lot to take in."  
"You don't believe me," I told him. Before he could protest, my eyes turned Feral. He didn't move, taking me in. I could smell his fear.  
"Relax, I'm fine," I said, my eyes turning back to green, "You don't have to be scared, you know."  
"I'm not."  
"You reek of fear. I can smell it on you."  
He blushed. I laughed at his embarrassment and felt him pull me closer. His hand came up to frame my face. I melted into his touch, wanting him to just kiss me already. He must've heard my thought, because next thing I knew, he was kissing me gently. I relaxed against him, wanting more. He made me feel so good, like I had no care in the world. No responsibilities, no-  
I broke away, realizing something that I should've known a long time ago. I was due to start my heat cycle in a day or two, and my Feral side had chosen Angel as my mate! This was not good.  
"What? What's wrong?"  
"I have to go," I said, standing up.  
"Hey, wait," he said, grabbing my arm and pulling me back down next to him. "Talk to me. What wrong?" I sighed, reluctant to bear myself to him. "Come on, you can tell me."  
"Fine. You know how cats get heat cycles?" I said, bringing what we had learned in science just that week.  
"Yeah."  
"Well, I get them too. I get them instead of what normal girls get. And it's not pretty, at all."  
"Where are you going with this?" "My Feral side has chosen you...I have chosen you, as my mate."  
"So that's where you're going with this." He paused for a moment, then said, "But that's good. I'll be the only one that's able to calm you."  
"Yeah, you might be able to protect others, but who's going to protect you?"  
Angel gave me a "you've-got-to-be-kidding-me" look. "Believe me, I can handle you."  
"Uh huh, sure you can. Anyway, I don't usually go to school during that time anyway. If I did, I'd snap at the teachers and get sent to the office. It's happened before."  
"I believe you on that one," he said, laughing.  
I watched him. I couldn't believe he was okay with this. I mean, its not every day you find out your friend is a mutant. "So, why weren't you at school today?" I asked him.  
"I had some things to do. Something unexpected came up." I raised an eyebrow at him. "My grandmother came into town."  
"Oh, I see," I said, fully knowing what he meant. There was an awkward silence, which I broke. "I need to get home. Mom's probably wondering where I am."  
"I'll see you tomorrow then?"  
"Maybe, maybe not. Depends," I answered, pulling him toward me for another kiss. A moment later his kisses left my mouth and started trailing down my neck.  
"Your mom's home," I said, hearing the car door shut. I opened my eyes to find him staring at me. "What?"  
"That just amazes me," he said. I grinned. "Come on, you can go out the front door." He stood up, drawing me to him, and we made our way to the front of the house. I opened the door and stepped outside, Angel following me. We faced each other, his hand caressing my face again.  
The moment our lips met, I knew it was going to be intense. At his touch, the tension from my body was gone, and I knew that my heat had started. It was the most passionate kiss I had ever experienced, and I didn't want it to end. When we finally broke away, we were gasping for air, our foreheads rested against one another's, and our breaths mingled.  
"Angel!" came a little girl's voice from the kitchen.  
"My sister, Jenny." I nodded, feeling my body grow hotter. I had to get away fast or I would lose it.  
"I won't see you at school tomorrow," I said, "And I have to go now before I lose control over myself."  
"All right. See you!" he said, as I ran off. I fully intended to take a long cold shower when I got in the house. Those were the only things that kept me going during those usually four days alone. 


	3. Chapter 3

By the next morning, the heat had hit me full on. I couldn't stop sweating. It was like my body was mad at me for depriving it of what it wanted. This was by far the worst I'd been in heat since it started. And I knew it wouldn't stop there.  
I thought I would die that next day. The heat was so intense, I had to stay in the shower literally all day. I had a feeling I was going to cave in the next day and take advantage of Angel.  
I was right. By the third day, I couldn't take it anymore. I felt like I was going nuts. And it didn't help that he called. When I answered the phone, he knew something was wrong.  
"Hey, how are you?"  
"Let's just say I've been better. And it'd probably be a good idea if we didn't talk until this is all over. The heat is driving me crazy."  
"Oh come on, can't you bear it for a couple hours?" he said teasing.  
"No, I can't. I feel like I'm on fire. It's the worst it's ever been."  
"I could help you, you know."  
"No! I couldn't ask that of you. It's wrong."  
"But I'm offering."  
"No!"  
"You need it, it'll help you get your senses back."  
"No, I'm not going to take advantage of you!"  
"I'm coming over," he said, and then hung up.  
  
When the doorbell rang. I jumped even though I knew who it was. I went to get the door, and then backed away as Angel entered the house. I led him to my room, which was a stupid mistake because once inside, he closed and locked the door.  
"What are you doing?" I asked him, already knowing the answer.  
"You know the answer to that," he said, eyeing me. I was covered in sweat from head to foot, and was radiating so much heat that it felt like a furnace.  
"Angel, you don't have to do this," I said.  
By then, he had me backed up against the wall, and he was still moving closer. When he reached me, he took me into his arms, holding me close. Feeling me relax against him, he whispered into my ear. "But I want to."  
I knew he wasn't going to change his mind, and the heat was so bad, I could barely think. So, I gave in and let my instincts take over. I pulled back and leaned in and kissed him hard. I let my hands drop to the bottom of his shirt, lifting it over his head and throwing it to the floor. I ran my hands up and down his chest, demanding more.  
Somehow we both got all our clothes off without breaking the kiss. I pressed myself against him, my heat already cooling off. He picked me up and laid me down on the bed.  
I stopped him suddenly with my hand. His eyes questioned me, and I brought his head down to tell him something.  
"Make love to me?"  
"Are you sure?" he said, kissing me again.  
"I'm sure," I said quietly, kissing him back.  
  
I woke up a few hours later and had to collect myself. I turned over under the covers to find Angel staring at me.  
"Thank you," I said, putting my hand on his face, "I needed that."  
He answered by leaning over and pulling me closer. Suddenly, the phone rang. Angel picked it up, answering it.  
"Hello?"  
"Angel? What are you doing at Sydney's house?" Nat's voice came over the phone.  
"She's sick, and I was making sure she took her medicine – Ouch!" I had hit him for that line. My eyes glittered playfully.  
"What? What happened?" Nat's worried voice said.  
"Nothing. You want to talk to Syd?" he asked her.  
"Yeah."  
Angel handed the phone to me. "Hey girl," I said. My heat was gone, my body satisfied that it had gotten what it wanted.  
"Hey, where you been?"  
"Sick. I have this "bug" that's going around. Though, it seems that I'm the only one that can get it," I told her, flashing my Feral eyes at Angel. He laughed.  
"So, what are you two doing over there?" she asked suspiciously.  
"Nothing, why? What do you think we're doing?"  
"I don't know. You could be doing anything, even-"  
"Don't say it," I told her, cutting her off. I stole a glance at Angel.  
"She knows," he mouthed silently at me.  
I shrugged. My eyes suddenly turned Feral.  
"Nat, I got to go," I said.  
"All right. Bye."  
"Bye." I hung up. "My mom's home. You don't have to go, just put your clothes on." I threw his clothes at him. I stood up, my sheet wrapped around me. "If Mom comes in here, tell her I'm in the bathroom."  
"All right," he said, pulling on his jeans. I left the room.  
A moment later there was a knock on my bedroom door and it opened.  
"Hi. Where's Sydney?"  
"Bathroom," Angel told my mother.  
"Oh. So, she's feeling better then?"  
"Much."  
"Good," she said, "When she gets out, tell her I'm cooking supper, if you don't mind."  
"No, not at all."  
She left, closing the door behind her.  
In the bathroom, my eyes returned to normal. I had listened to their whole conversation, making sure Angel was okay. When I returned to my room, I was fully dressed.  
"I heard how it went," I said.  
"I figured."  
I sat down on the bed next to him. "So, I guess I'll see you at school tomorrow."  
"I'm the one that should be saying that," he said. He leaned over and captured my lips in a tender kiss.  
"You should go," I said, breaking it. "It's getting. Late."  
"Okay," he said, breaking away from me reluctantly.  
We walked back downstairs, past my mom, to the door.  
"Bye," I said, kissing him again. I closed the door behind him as he made his way home.  
"So, I take it the heat's gone," Mom said as I walked back into the kitchen, "Did he have anything to do with that?"  
"Maybe. Why, you worried?" I told her. My mom and I have always been more like best friends than mother and daughter. I could talk to her about anything.  
"No. I just want you to be careful," she said, looking me in the eye.  
"I will. I mean, even you can't deny that I needed it. I was miserable."  
"Yeah, you looked like it too."  
"Hey," I said, slapping her arm playfully.  
"So you going to school tomorrow?"  
"Yep."  
"Good. You need to get out of the house."  
"I know. Can you believe I actually stayed here the last three days straight without leaving once?" I said.  
"I know I couldn't do it."  
I yawned, ready for some well-deserved sleep. "I'm going to bed, night."  
"I thought you were going to eat."  
"Not hungry," I said, heading to my room.

(anonymously amazed - you'll know soon enough. it's coming, i promise.

Read & Review Please!!!!!!!)


	4. Chapter 4

The next day at school, Nat found me straightaway.  
"Hey."  
"Hey."  
"So?"  
"So what?" I said.  
"So what happened with you and Angel? Come on girl, I want details," she said excitedly.  
"Nothing happened," I said smiling, "We just talked.  
"Yeah, then why are you smiling like you're remembering something good?"  
"Coincidence?" I said, just as Angel walked up behind me.  
"Not talking about me I hope," he said with a twinkle in his eye.  
"You wish," I said. I felt his arms come around me, and his scent filled my head.  
"I've been hearing some stuff going around school about you two," Zack said, walking up and giving Natalie a quick kiss.  
"I wonder who spread those rumors," I said sarcastically. Nat gave me a guilty look.  
"Oh, and Luke's been spreading that you're some kind of animal, and that we should stay away from you," he continued, giving me a "you-have-got- to-be-kidding-me" look.  
I felt Angel stiffen behind me. His hand pressed on my stomach, warning me. I put my hand over his, assuring his that I had it covered.  
"Oh really," I said, returning Zack's gaze. "Please don't tell me you actually believe him?"  
"Uh no," Natalie said. The bell rang for morning classes to begin. Nat and I separated from the guys and headed to Math.  
  
"Excuse me, Mr. Marchaud?" said a voice over the intercom.  
"Yes?"  
"Do you have Sydney Bourque?"  
"Yes."  
"Could you send her to the principal's office? It's urgent."  
"She's on her way," said Mr. Marchaud, as the intercom went off.  
I stood up and left the room. A few seconds later, I was standing in front of the principal's office. I knocked.  
"Come in," said Mr. Bourgeois, the principal.  
I walked in to find him seated behind his desk.  
"You wanted to see me sir?" I said, trying to sound polite.  
"I have been informed of the most unusual thing," he said, his eyes boring into mine, "Someone has told me that you are some kind of creature. They said you could do this thing with your eyes, make them glow gold. Is this true?"  
I wanted to tell him the truth, just to scare him and get a good laugh. Oh how I wanted too, but I decided against it.  
"Do you think it's true sir?" I asked him instead.  
"Now I'm not sure. You're a bright student. Not the top of your class, but bright nonetheless. I'd have to say no, I don't believe it's true. But, I still have to test you."  
"How long is this going to take?" I said, getting nervous. I wondered if my mutated DNA would show up in whatever they were going to do.  
"Not long. All we need is some blood," he said. I froze. My DNA would definitely show up in that. I paled. "Is something wrong? You look a little white."  
"Just nervous. I get queasy at the sight of blood," I said. That was such a lie. I'd probably seen more blood than a surgeon had in a lifetime. But again, he didn't need to know that.  
He nodded, showing his concern. "This way," he said, leading me to the nurse's office. I sat down in a lab chair, and the nurse came in.  
It was over in like a minute. There was no time to act scared. All they did was fill a tube, and I was sent back to class.  
  
When the lunch bell rang, I was so happy to get out of class. I needed to see Angel, I needed his touch, and I needed to tell him about what happened.  
I spotted him across the grounds and started running towards him, leaving Natalie far behind.  
"Hey," he said. Then he took a good look at my face. "What's wrong?"  
"They're going to find out about me." I showed him my arm. Realization came over his features, as he understood what I was saying.  
"What's going on you guys?" Nat said, coming up to us with Zack hand- in-hand.  
"Nothing," I said quickly. I looked at Angel, showing him a flash of golden eyes, warning him not to say anything.  
Nat eyed me, trying to figure out if I was lying or not. "So, how did it go with the principal?"  
"Let's just say Luke's story got back to him, and he wanted to prove that I wasn't an animal."  
She stole a glance at my arm. "Are they allowed to do that?" she said.  
I shrugged and reached for Angel's hand. His fingers tickled my palm, teasing me.  
"Are you telling us the truth?" Zack asked me suddenly.  
I switched my gaze to him, wondering how he had come to that conclusion. My eyes searched his, wanting an answer.  
"Do you think I'm lying?" I asked him.  
His eyes adopted a faraway look, like his mind was somewhere else. I saw them dilate, and that was the last piece of information I needed. I knew what he was, a telepath.  
So, how long have you been keeping this from Nat? I thought to him.  
He picked up on it, his eyes widening in realization. I knew his secret. I felt him probe my mind gently.  
A Feral, huh? He thought. My eyes gave him the answer. Does Nat know?  
No, but Angel does.  
He searched my mind. Your mate?  
Yes.  
I see.  
I felt him leave, and checked his eyes. They were back to normal.  
"No, I don't think you're lying," Zack said, "I was just testing you."  
"Testing her?" I heard Angel say. Zack shrugged.  
"See ya'll in class," I said suddenly, trying to get away. I led Angel to a picnic table.  
"What is he? I know he's not normal. It's like he knows too much," he asked me.  
"I can't tell you," I confessed as we sat down.  
"Why not?" he pouted,  
"For the same reason I can't tell Nat about me," I said, catching his lips in a kiss.  
"Wait," he said, breaking away, "Does that mean he's a-"  
"Mutant?" I whispered into his ear. I climbed onto his lap and put my arms around his neck. "He's a telepath."  
"A telepath?" he said, surprised. "I would've never thought."  
"Their eyes dilate whenever they enter someone's mind. That's how I knew," I told him.  
"Interesting. So, what did I do to get you to tell me this?" he said, kissing me.  
I relaxed as his arms came around me. The question went unanswered until the bell rang five minutes later. "That's what you did," I whispered as I opened my eyes.  
He smiled, and lifted me off his lap to the ground. "Class time, unfortunately," he said. I laughed as we walked to class together, the only class we shared.

(.....reviews, reviews, reviews.....)


	5. Chapter 5

"We got your blood test results back, Sydney, and..." Mr. Bourgeois said.  
I had been called to the office again. It was 4 days ago that they had taken my blood. Gosh they're slow I thought. "And what?"  
"Would you like to tell us something?"  
I have to admit, I really thought about giving in. I was getting tired of hiding half of myself from others, especially my best friend. "No," I said, keeping my face blank.  
"It seems your DNA has been genetically altered."  
"And that means...?"  
"You're part animal," he said, staring hard at me.  
I stared right back at him, determined not to give away that I knew what he was talking about. "What?!" I exclaimed.  
He didn't buy it. "Call Angel to me please," he said, pressing a button on his desk.  
A few minutes later there was a knock on the door. It opened to admit Angel.  
"Take a seat 'son'," said Mr. Bourgeois. "Do you know this girl?" he asked Angel after he had sat down.  
Angel looked me up and down quickly. "No sir."  
"Are you sure?"  
"Yes sir, real sure."  
"You two have been seen together. Do you deny this?"  
Angel stole a glance at me. I nodded. "I don't. I know her."  
"So you lied to me?"  
"Yes sir."  
"Okay. Now we're getting somewhere. Do you have a physical relationship with her?"  
Angel looked at me again. I turned my head, telling him he was on his own. "Yes sir."  
"Do you have feelings for her?"  
"Yes sir."  
"Do you love her?"  
"Where are you going with this?" Angel asked him.  
"You'll see. Now stop avoiding the question and answer it."  
"Yes sir. I love her," he said quietly.  
"Are you protecting her?"  
"What do you mean?"  
"Does she have a secret that she doesn't want anybody to know?"  
"No sir."  
"Are you sure? Do you think she's keeping something from you?"  
Angel had had enough. "No, I don't. I know her and I love her, dammit! What do you want from me?"  
"I want the truth."  
"You want the truth?!" I said, interrupting them. I was tired of the interrogation and didn't want to hear anymore.  
Mr. Bourgeois nodded.  
"Okay, fine. I'm a Feral, I have feline DNA, and I get heat spells just like cats. The moment I saw Angel, my body chose him as my mate. The heat was so bad that he helped me. I didn't ask him. He did it on his own, out of his love for me. So, yes, we have a physical relationship, and yes, we had sex. Is there anything else you need to know? Or do I have to explain my whole life to you?"  
Mr. Bourgeois sat there, looking intently at me. "So it's true, there are mutants among us," he said to himself.  
"Yeah. Is that a problem?" I asked him. I moved in front of Angel, protecting him.  
"Protective little thing, aren't you?"  
I flashed my Feral eyes at him, and watched him take a step back. I felt a hand on my side, as Angel moved closer to me.  
"Don't do anything you'll regret," he whispered into my ear.  
"I have this philosophy," I said.  
"I'm listening."  
"You only do things that you really want to do, so you shouldn't regret them."  
"I like that philosophy, it's a good one," Mr. Bourgeois said shakily.  
"I know you're scared. Relax, I have control over myself, at the moment."  
"Well that's real comforting," he said sarcastically.  
I rolled my eyes. The bell rang, signaling the end of the school day.  
"Can we go now?" I asked him.  
"Yes, leave, please."  
"See you tomorrow," I said, as I grabbed my backpack. Angel followed me.  
"You shouldn't have told him about you," he said, stopping me.  
"Why not? He was bugging me."  
"Because then he's going to find out about me," he said, avoiding my eyes.  
"What do you mean?" I said, turning his face to look at me.  
"I haven't been telling you the whole truth." He paused, trying to figure out how to say it.  
"What? Tell me," I said, putting my hand on his arm.  
"I'm an empath; I can sense people's feelings."  
"Why didn't you tell me before?" I asked him, hurt that he couldn't trust me.  
"I had to be sure you were the one. And I didn't want you to freak out on me."  
I gave him a look, then reached up and brought his head down for a kiss. I felt his hands slip under my shirt and travel up my bare back.  
"Wait," I said, knowing where this would lead. "We can't do this at school."  
"You're right. Your house or mine? My parents aren't home."  
_Mom's probably home._ "Yours," I said, kissing him again.  
  
I woke up the next morning to the sun shining on my face. Angel's arm was around me and I was lying close to him under the covers. I looked over at the clock on his bedside table. It read 5:30 A.M. _Well, at least we're not late for school-Ow!  
_ I clutched my stomach as waves of faint, but very distinct pain took hold of me. The only reason I was able to feel them was because of my being Feral. And I knew what they were from too, the baby growing inside of me, Angel's baby.  
_Shit!_ I thought. I felt Angel move beside me. A hand came over mine and moved them both to cover my stomach protectively.  
"How did you know?" I asked quietly.  
"I sensed your feelings and guessed. Can you sense if my parents are home?" he said, touching my face with his other hand.  
I closed my eyes, seeing if there were any other scents in the house. "Nobody's here except us," I said, opening my eyes again.  
"They must be at work already."  
"This early?"  
"It's a weird company, believe me."  
"Where's your sister?"  
"A friend's house. They dropped her off before they went out last night," he said, his hand squeezing mine.  
"We still have two hours before school starts. What are we supposed to do till then?"  
"Breakfast?" he said, a grin on his face.  
"No fair, illegal use of powers," I shot back.  
"Come on," he said, throwing me his shirt. "I'm hungry too."  
"Sure you are." I looked at him playfully, a glint in my emerald eyes. 


	6. Chapter 6

"Where were you last night? I called you like twenty times," Nat told me.  
We were in class and the teacher was giving us a lecture.  
"I was out," I said, avoiding her eyes.  
"At one in the morning?"  
"Why are you calling me at one in the morning?"  
"I wanted to talk."  
"About?"  
"You and Angel."  
At Angel's name, my hand flew to my stomach. "What about me and Angel?"  
"The basics."  
"Like?"  
"How far ya'll have gone, stuff like that."  
"We've gone pretty far," I said quietly to myself.  
Nat picked up on it. "Yeah, but ya'll haven't actually done it yet."  
My eyes gave it away before I could avert my gaze.  
"What! Ya'll have had sex?!"  
I held up two fingers.  
"Twice?!"  
I nodded. I turned my attention to the teacher and ignored Nat. For the rest of the class I could see her trying to get my attention out of the corner of my eye.  
  
"So, when were you going to tell me about this?" Natalie asked me after class while we were walking toward our lunch table. "I mean, me and Zack haven't even gone that far."  
"Well, the first time was a must, and the second time we got caught up in the moment."  
"So the second time was last night?"  
"Yes," I said, thinking of the life that was growing inside of me. I looked up to find Nat's eyes dilated. _Why are all of my friends mutants?_ I thought, directing the question at Natalie.  
_Really? We're all mutants?_  
_ Yep.  
Well, that explains the days absent every month_ she thought as she found out what type of mutant I was.  
Very funny. I felt her search through my thoughts and memories. She stopped suddenly and I felt the memory of last night come to the front.  
_Oh my God!  
What?_ I thought, knowing already what it was about.  
_You're pregnant!  
Yeah, so how come you never searched my mind before?  
I don't know. I guess I didn't want to invade your privacy. Now stop avoiding the subject! What's your mom going to say?  
_ The truth hit me with a bang. I-was-having-Angel's-baby. _Shit!_ -_There's that word again_ I thought. A hand on my back brought me back to reality.  
"Angel," I breathed, turning around and laying my head on his chest. I felt his arms come around me as I took deep breaths.  
"Relax," I heard him say. He glanced around, making sure no one besides Nat was looking. He put a hand on my forehead. It glowed red, and I felt the stress and tension leave my body. I silently thanked him as he hugged me.  
"You'll never believe this," I said, "Nat's a telepath too."  
He nodded his head. "So we're all 'different'."  
"Yep, although I could've sword my best friend was normal. How did you not give yourself away?" I asked her, turning around in Angel's arms.  
"I don't know. Though I bet it's a lot easier to keep my powers a secret than yours. Yours are physical while mine are mental. Mental you can't see with your eyes."  
"Too true."  
"And to think they used to call us the lovebirds," Zack said, walking over and standing by his girlfriend. They looked at each other, their eyes dilating at the same time.  
"This might take a while," I said.  
It was fun to watch Zack's expressions and actions as Natalie told him about Angel and me. You could tell when she got to the part about the baby because his eyes got wide and he snuck a glance at me.  
"By the way," I said to Angel while the silent conversation was going on, "if it's a girl we're naming her Tru Michelle."  
"You have names picked out already?" he asked. I shrugged. "With your last name or mine?"  
"I don't care," I said.  
We looked up to see that they had finished talking.  
"Done so soon?" I asked.  
"I couldn't take it any longer. I had to start yelling at you. What were you thinking?!"  
"I don't know. Why don't you tell me, you're the one that can read minds!" I yelled back.  
Angel had to hold me back to keep me from throwing myself at him.  
"Somebody could've heard you," he told me.  
And in fact, someone did. They had seen and heard everything, and they were on their way to the principal's office. We were so caught up in our own conversations that we hadn't checked for spies.  
  
"Sydney Bourque, Angel Mayter, Natalie Portman, and Zachary Taylor, please report to the principal's office," the intercom said fifteen minutes later.  
"This isn't good," I said.  
"You're not kidding."  
  
We didn't even knock, just waltzed right into Mr. Bourgeois's office. I was in front.  
"You called?" I said.  
"Sit down." We sat in the four chairs that were facing his desk.  
"Look, I'm really not in the mood. So, can we just get this over with and leave?" I said.  
"Maybe, maybe not. All I know is, if you don't want that child of yours to get hurt, you better not say another word," he said threateningly.  
That shut me up. Nothing's more protective than a Feral mother when she has an unborn child.  
"What do you want?" Angel said, speaking up.  
"I want you out of this school and away from the other students."  
"Why? Not scared of us, are you?" said Zack.  
"Not a bit."  
I let my eyes turn Feral. My animal side was just waiting to be released. I was ready to fight, if it was necessary. I saw Mr. Bourgeois press a button underneath his desk.  
_Security_ I thought. I heard the door open, the snapping of fingers, and the whizzing by of four tranq darts before I blacked out. 


	7. Chapter 7

My eyes snapped open. _Where am I_ I thought, remembering what had happened. I was lying in a bed in a room of pure white. I looked to my left and saw monitors with my blood pressure and heart rate on their screens.  
_Please don't tell me I'm in a hospital. Please no.  
_ The door opened suddenly to admit a woman dressed all in white.  
"Oh, so you're up," she said. "I was so mad when they brought you in and you were still out cold. I would've told them to lay off the tranqs if I would've known you were pregnant."  
I just lay there, not saying a word. I had a million questions, but I decided to keep quiet.  
"So, how are you feeling?" she asked.  
I was silent for a minute, and then said, "Why don't you tell me? I just woke up in a strange bed, in a strange place, and a strange woman is trying to carry on a conversation and ask me how I feel." I stared at her. "What did you expect?"  
She gave me a look. "A smart-mouth, aren't you?"  
"Where are my friends?" I demanded to know.  
"They're...around," she said.  
"Where's Angel?" I asked, my voice cold. _I swear if anything happened to him you people are going to be sorry.  
_ "Like I said he's...around." I tried to make my eyes turn Feral but a sharp pain in my head made me stop. "What did you give me?" "Nothing deadly. We just don't want you running out on us." I glared at her. Her beeper suddenly went off, calling her to another patient. She walked to the door. "In case you wanted to know, it's a girl. It'll give you something to think about," she said, turning around. I nodded and she left, closing the door behind her. _I already knew it was a girl you idiotic woman_ I thought to myself. A fresh wave of pain overcame me, and I put a hand on my stomach until it passed. "All I know is I better not be stuck in this bed for the next nine months all alone," I said to myself.  
  
Nine Months Later  
  
Well, of course, I was. I didn't see head or tail of Angel, Nat, or Zack. It was like they weren't even there, though I knew they were because my nurse was always talking about them. God, how I missed Angel. My nurse told me I could see him after the baby was born. _And when will that be? When you're testing my daughter or me? _Though, it didn't work out that way. Angel snuck into my room the night before I was scheduled to go into labor. I felt a hand on my face and I jerked awake. Only the sight of him kept me from screaming. "Angel," I whispered, as he reached down to hug me. "What's going on? Why are we here?" "They want us as agents. Me, Nat, and Zack have gone on a few missions. It's not so bad." "But where are we?" "Genomex."  
  
_Genomex, Genomex. I know that name from somewhere. Oh my gosh!_ "Angel, you're working for the bad guys."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
"They capture New Mutants and experiment on them. Why do you think I'm still alive?" I asked him.  
"They want our baby," he said quietly, realizing what I meant.  
"I'll be useless and vulnerable after she's born. Who knows what they'll do?"  
"We have to get out of here," he said, convinced.  
Quiet voices sounded in the hall. Through the crack under the door you could see the lights from many handheld flashlights.  
"You have to go, now!" I whispered to him.  
"I love you," he said, giving me a gentle kiss.  
"I know. I love you too," I said, smiling up at him.  
Then he was gone out the door, blending in with the shadows. A few minutes later, my door opened. A guard peered in, checking up on me, then closed the door and locked it. I opened my eyes and sighed, the memory of Angel's lips on mine still alive in my mind.  
  
I sighed, happy that my hard work had paid off. I held a sleeping baby girl in my arms. The door opened and a nurse came in.  
"I'll let Angel in if you let me see her," she said.  
"That is such a bribe," I said, eyeing her. I so wished I had my powers back. "What are you going to do with her?"  
"Run some tests to make sure she's okay."  
I nodded reluctantly and handed her over. The nurse left and a few seconds later Angel entered.  
"Hey. Have you seen her?" I asked him, as he walked toward me.  
"No, they won't let me get anywhere near her. I caught a glimpse when the nurse left though. From what I saw, she's beautiful," he said, smiling at me.  
I moved over to one side of the bed and patted the vacant spot beside me. He lay down next to me, and I moved again so that my head was on his chest. I felt his arm come around me as he pulled me closer.  
"So, are we still naming her Tru?" he asked.  
"Yes," I said, looking up at him. "It's my mother's name, and since I'll probably never see her again, I thought..." He kissed my forehead and hugged me, understanding. We relaxed, just enjoying each other's company. I guess we must've fallen asleep because I woke up the next morning to movement beside me. I sat up quickly, my eyes turning gold. I jumped with surprise; my powers were back.  
"Hey," Angel said, feeling me jump, "What's happened?"  
"I have my powers back," I said, a feeling of dread passing over me.  
"And that's a bad thing?" he asked, sensing my feelings.  
"No, it just raises the question of 'why?'" I looked around the room. "I wonder where they've got Tru? You think they're hiding her from us?"  
He shrugged. We were silent for a while, until I felt a hand on my back. "Let's get out of here," he whispered, his breath pleasantly warm on my face. "They're not expecting it and we might be able to get free."  
I turned my head to meet his eyes. Doubt flickered across my face, letting him know I didn't think it could be done.  
His hand touched my face gently. "We can make it," he said. I nodded and leaned against him. We stayed like that for a long time, him just holding me.  
The door suddenly burst open, making us both look up. "You have to get out of here now! Here-"Zack rushed. He handed me a bundle of blankets very gently, for my daughter was hidden inside. He pushed us towards the door. "But what about you and Nat?" I said. "We'll meet you at the exit. There's something we have to take care of first. Now go, before they realize Tru is gone!" Angel and I ran down the hall, took a left turn and kept running. The exit was just at the end of the next hallway. We were almost there. Two agents suddenly came at us from out of nowhere. Angel grabbed their hands. Before they realized what was happening, they were jumping up and down like maniacs. Angel had given them the feeling of being on fire. We bypassed them and continued to our destination. We met Zack and Natalie at the exit as planned. Zack pushed the doors open and we ran out, just as the alarms sounded. We didn't stop running until we got to the woods, two miles away. "We should split up in case they plan on following us," Angel said. I went over to Nat and gave her a hug. "It's a shame we had to split up," she said, "Now Tru won't have a playmate." "What's that supposed to mean?" I asked her. "I'm pregnant," she whispered into my ear. "Oh really?" I said, hugging her again. "It's time to go," Zack said. We nodded and separated into pairs quietly not wanting to draw attention to ourselves, even though we were miles away.

I see my friends from time to time and their little boy, whom they named Michael. Angel, Tru, and I are doing well. We have an apartment that's just the right size. Tru's growing fast and I dread the day she develops her powers and starts asking questions. The story I tell her won't be the whole truth, that's for sure. I haven't exactly come up with a good story yet though. I'm leaning towards the truth...just not the full truth.


End file.
